Ropes & Gray has become the latest large law firm to appoint a head of artificial intelligence.
The Boston-headquartered firm has hired former Meta executive Gretchen Greene as chief of artificial intelligence strategy.
At Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Greene was responsible for AI adoption for policy and legal teams. In her new role at Ropes & Gray, which employs more than 1,500 lawyers and legal professionals worldwide, Greene will work closely with the firm’s chief information officer, Marsha Stein, to “accelerate” AI strategy and create “measurable value” for clients, the firm said.
In the US, first-year associate lawyers at Ropes & Gray can spend approximately a fifth of their annual billable hours exploring AI. The firm is expanding the pilot scheme across its business.
The firm uses AI-powered legal software from Hebbia, for data analysis and for reviewing documents during legal transactions.
In addition to her tech experience, Greene has also worked as a tax and benefits attorney − at Ropes & Gray − at the beginning of her legal career.
“I am excited to return to Ropes & Gray at a pivotal moment for legal AI,” said Greene. “My goal is to help the firm remain at the forefront of AI adoption.”
AI is fuelling a boom in legaltech as firms use the technology to automate relatively mundane tasks − including drafting contracts and legal research − previously done by junior lawyers, saving them time and increasing efficiency.
Ryan O’Leary, a legal technology expert at research company IDC, said the appointment of AI heads at law firms will become more common.
“There is a lot to be settled in terms of how the value proposition of AI fits into the law firm business model,” he said. “The billable hour and the way that AI is leveraged to reduce the amount of hours that legal work takes will be something that law firms will have to navigate.”
US law firms Akin and McDermott Will & Emery are among leading firms to have appointed AI heads.
In the UK, Farrer & Co has just appointed a head of innovation and AI to expand its use of artificial intelligence and act as a bridge between lawyers and technologists. Oliver Jeffcott joined from fellow London firm Macfarlanes, where he focused on legal technology and innovation.
Law firms are also investing in AI training and creating teams of AI lawyers. Last month, Magic Circle UK firm Linklaters announced the creation of a team of 20 lawyers to help it use artificial intelligence technology across the firm. After the lawyers are trained in AI, they will advise Linklaters lawyers worldwide on how to use AI to improve “workflows” and the service for their clients.
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